Rinsing formulation



United States Patent 3,222,213 RINSING FORMULATION Salem T. Clark, GrandIsland, N.Y., assignor to Union Carbide Corporation, a corporation ofNew York No Drawing. Filed Dec. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 247,831 5 Claims.(Cl. 117119.6)

This invention relates to preparations for treating cleaned surfaces. Inone aspect, this invention relates to emulsified formulations forrinsing previously cleaned automobiles.

Automobiles and the like are comm-only washed and cleaned with highlyalkaline built detergents or anionic detergents. A very good cleaningaction and effective removal, of grease spots can be achieved in thismanner. After application of the detergent the automobile finish isrinsed and dried in the conventional manner, i.e., with a cloth or bymeans of an air blast.

It is an object of the present invention to provide formulations thatfacilitate the rinsing and drying of cleaned surfaces.

It is another object of this invention to provide formulations thatdeposit a water-repellent film on the treated surfaces.

Still further objects will readily present themselves to one skilled inthe art upon reference to the ensuing specification and claims.

These objects are achieved by an oil-in-water emulsion which containseffective amounts of an organic cationic surfactant, an emulsifiablemineral oil, and water. Optionally, an organic non-ionic surfactant canbe added to the formulation inorder to promote uniform deposition of awater-repellent film.

The present formulations possess what is referred to in the art as afast water break. This property manifests itself as a heading of waterdroplets on the treated surface during and after application of theformulation. When the treated surface is dried, the water droplets canbe removed by the relatively simple expedient of blowing air over thesurface. As compared to cleaned but untreated surfaces an air blast ofmuch lower intensity is required for drying a surface.

The primary ingredients of the formulation of this invention are acationic surfactant and an emulsifiable mineral oil. The cationicsurfactant emulsifies the mineral oil in water, thereby forming anoil-in-water emulsion. Upon application to a cleaned surface theseprimary ingredients substantively plate out on the surface and deposit awater-repellent film on the latter. The nonionic surfactant is believedto promote the plating out of a more nearly uniform water-repellent filmand its presence in the formulation is preferred for this reason.

The broad group of compounds known in the art as surfactants is furtherbroken down into three distinct ca-tegoriesnon-ionic surfactants,cationic surfactants, and anionic surfactants. The non-ionic surfactantsdo not ionize in water and are long molecules which on one end arehydrophilic and lipophobic and on the other end hydrophobic andlipophilic. The cationic surfactants and the anionic surfactants ionizein water to provide charged ions of long molecular structure. Incationic surfactants the hydrophobic lipophilic end is on the posi--active epoxides such as propylene oxide and the like, and the quaternaryammonium salts of fatty amines having at least one alkyl substituentcontaining from 8 to 22 carbon atoms such as fatty amine acetates, fattyamine chlorides, fatty amine bromides and the like.

Typical illustrative nitrogen-containing compounds which are thereaction products of long-chain fatty acids containing from 8 to 22carbon atoms with alkylene polyamines are1-(Z-aminoethyl)-2-heptadecenyl2-imidazoline, 1-(2-aminoethyl)2-heptadecadienyl-2-imidazoline, and the like.

Typical reaction products of long-chain fattyacids containing from 8 to22 carbon atoms with alkylol amines are 1-(2-hydroxyethyl) 2heptadecenyl Z-imidaz-oline,1-(Z-hydroxyethyl)-2-heptadecadienyl-Z-imidazoline, and the like.

Typical reaction products of long-chain fatty acids containing from 8 to22 carbon atoms with ammonia are octadecylamide, hexadecylamide,docosylamide, octylamide, and the like.

Typical condensation products of a primary fatty amine with an alkyleneoxide or the like are the N,N-di(monoandpolyalkyleneoxyalkylol)-octadecylamines, the N,N- di(monoandpolyalkyleneoxyalkylol)-heptadecy1amines, the N,N-di(monoandpolyalkyleneoxyalkylol)-hexadecylamines, the N,N-di(monoandpolyalkyleneoxyalkylol)-tetradecylamines, the N,N-di(monoandpolyalkyleneoxyalkylol)-dodecylamines, and the like.

Typical quaternary ammonium salts are the coconut oil quaternary amineacetates, octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride,octadecylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride, hexadecyldimethylethylammoniumbromide, dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, dodecyltrimethylammoniumchloride, and the like.

Preferred cationic surfactants for the instant formulalations aremixtures of nitrogen-containing compounds which are the reactionproducts of fatty acids containing from 8 to 22 carbon atoms withethylene polyamines and condensation products of a primary fatty aminewith ethylene oxide wherein the mole ratio of ethylene oxide to fattyamine is from about 4 to about 7.

Particularly preferred cationic surfactant is a mixture of 1(Z-aminoethyl)-2-heptadecenyl-Z-imidazoline, 1-(2- aminoethyl) 2heptadecadienyl-Z-imidazoline, and condensation products of tallowamines with ethylene oxide in a mole ratio of ethylene oxide to tallowamines of about 5.

Emulsifiable mineral oils suitable for the formulations of the presentinvention are the paraffinic and the naphthenic mineral oils having aviscosity in the range from about 20 to about 200 Saybolt Universalseconds (SUS) at F. A viscosity below about 20 SUS results in a lessdurable coating on the treated surface, and viscosity above about 200SUS causes smear and promotes emulsion instability.

Paraffin oils within the aforesaid viscosity range and particularlythose having a viscosity in the range from about 70 to about 100 SUS at100 F. are preferred in the instant formulations.

By the term non-ionic surfactant as used herein and in the appendedclaims is meant an organic compound of a relatively high molecularweight and which consists of a hydrophobic portion to which is attacheda solubilizing or hydrophilic portion containing groups such as etherlinks (-C-O-C), hydroxyl groups (OH), carbonyloxy groups and the like.With very few exceptions the non-ionic surfactants contain at least onehydroxyl group.

Specifically contemplated within the above definition are surfactantshaving as the hydrophilic moiety one or more chains containing one ormore alkyleneoxy groups. These surfactants have the general formulawherein R is the hydrophobic portion of an aliphatic alcohol containingfrom about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms or an alkylated phenol containingfrom about 4 to about 22 carbon atoms in the alkyl group thereof, Y isan alkyleneoxy chain, H is a hydrogen atom bonded to an oxygen atom ofthe alkyleneoxy chain, and y is an integer from 1 to about 6, andpreferably from 1 to 4.

Typical aliphatic alcohols are octyl alcohol, nonyl alcohol, decylalcohol, coco alcohol (a mixture of C to C alcohols), dodecyl alcohol,oleyl alcohol, tallow alcohol (a mixture of C to C alcohols), octadecylalcohol, 2,6,8-trimethyl-4-nonyl alcohol, and the like.

Typical alkylated phenols are butylphenol, pentylphenol, hexylphenol,octylphenol, nonylphenol, dodecylphenol, hexadecylphenol,octadecylphenol, nonadecylphenol, and the like.

By the term alkyleneoxy chain as used herein and in the appended claimsis meant a chain containing one or more alkyleneoxy groups which aredivalent alkylene groups such as methylene, ethylene, propylene,butylene, and the like, bonded to an oxygen atom in a manner such thatone of the valences of the alkyleneoxy group is from an oxygen atom andthe other is from a carbon atom. Typical alkyleneoxy groups aremethyleneoxy (--CH O-), ethyleneoxy (C H O), propyleneoxy (C H O),butyleneoxy (C H O), and the like.

Preferred non-ionic surfactants for the instant formulations are thepolyalkylene glycol ethers containing from about 4 to about 80 moles ofalkylene oxide. Illustrative preferred non-ionic surfactants are thenonlyphenyl polyethylene glycol ethers containing about 4 moles ofethylene oxide, the trimethylnonyl polyethylene glycol ethers containingabout 6 moles ethylene oxide, the nonylphenyl polyethylene glycol etherscontaining about 7 moles of ethylene oxide, mixed polyalkylene glycolethers containing about 60 moles of a mixture of ethylene oxide and1,2-propylene oxide in a mole ratio of about 2:1, and the like.

In a concentrated formulation, i.e., a rinsing concentrate, the cationicsurfactant is present usually in an amount in the range from about 1 toabout 20 percent by weight of the concentrate. Preferably the cationicsurfactant is present in an amount in the range from about 5 to about 17percent by weight.

The emulsifiable mineral oil is present in the formulation usually in anamount in the range from about 5 to about 35 percent by weight of theformulation, and preferably in an amount from about 10 to about 30percent by weight. Oil in an amount in excess of about 12 percent byweight tends to decrease the stability of the emulsion.

The optional non-ionic surfactant is present in these formulationsusually in an amount in the range up to about 15 percent by weight. Thepreferred range for the non-ionic surfactant is from about 3 to about 12percent by weight.

The concentrated formulation is prepared by blending together at aboutroom temperature a cationic surfactant and a mineral oil. To this blendwater is added with agitation in predetermined amounts. This is thepreferred method of compounding the formulation since an emulsioninversion is obtained in the process. An emulsion inversion improvesdispersion and promotes the stability of the final product. If anon-ionic surfactant is also employed, it preferably is blended togetherwith the cationic surfactant and the mineral oil prior to the additionof water.

When the aforesaid formulation is employed as a rinse after anautomobile has been cleaned in the conventional manner, the concentratedformulation is extended with additional amounts of water in a ratio fromabout to about 5000 parts of water to 1 part of concentrate. Theextended formulation is then sprayed onto or otherwise contacted withthe cleaned surface until a water break" is observed. An automobile sotreated can then be rapidly dried by means of an air blast, or the like.

Typical rinse formulations employing a mixture of cationic surfactantsare illustrated below.

Formulation No. 1

Component:

Cationic surfactant A mixture of1-(2-aminoethyl)-2-heptadecenyl-Z-imidazoline and 1-(2-amino- Weightpercent ethyl)-2-heptadecadienyl-2-imidazoline 10 Ethylene oxidecondensation products of primary fatty amines 5 15 Paraffin oil, 86 SUS100 F. 25 Water 60 The above formulation can then be extended withadditional water in a ratio of about 1000 parts of water to 1 part ofthe formulation and sprayed on a cleaned automobile finish prior todrying.

Formulation N 0. 2

Component:

Cationic surfactant-- A mixture of1-(2-aminoethyl)-2-heptadecenyl-2-imidazoline and 1-(2-aminoethyl) 2heptadecadienyl 2 imidazo- Weight percent The above formulation can thenbe extended with additional water in a ratio of about 1000 parts ofwater to 1 part of the formulation and sprayed on a cleaned automobilefinish prior to drying.

The foregoing discussion and exemplary formulations are intended asillustrative of the present invention. Other modifications within thespirit and scope of this invention will readily present themselves toone skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A method for drying a cleaned surface which comprises applyingthereto an oil-in-water emulsion consisting essentially of effectiveamounts of an organic cationic surfactant, an emulsifiable mineral oil,and water until :a beading of water droplets on said surface isobserved, and thereafter removing said droplets from said surface; saidamounts being effective to produce beading of water on the surface.

2. A method for drying a cleaned surface which comprises applyingthereto an oil-in-water emulsion consisting essentially of effectiveamounts of an organic cationic surfactant, an emulsifiable mineral oil,and water until a beading of water droplets on said surface is observed,and thereafter subjecting said surface to a blast of air; said amountsbeing effective to produce beading of water on the surface.

3. A method for drying a cleaned surface which comprises applyingthereto, until :a beading of Water droplets on said surface is observed,an emulsified formulation consisting of one part of a rinsingconcentrate and from about 100 to about 5000 parts of water, andthereafter subjecting said surface to a blast of air; said rinsingconcentrate being an oil-in-water emulsion consisting essentially ofabout 1 to about 20 percent by weight an organic cationic surfactant,about 5 to about 35 percent by weight an emulsifiable mineral oil, andthe remainder water.

4. A method for drying a cleaned surface which comprises applyingthereto, until a beading of water droplets on said surface is observed,an emulsified formulation consisting of one part of a rinsingconcentrate and from about 100 to about 5000 parts of water, andthereafter subjecting said surface to a blast of air; said rinsingconcentrate being an oil-in-water emulsion consisting essentially ofabout 1 to about 20 percent by weight an organic cationic surfactant,about 5 to about 35 percent by weight an emulsifiable mineral oil, up toabout 15 percent by weight an organic non-ionic surfactant, and theremainder water.

5. A method for drying a cleaned surface which comprises applyingthereto, until a beading of water droplets on said surface is observed,an emulsified formulation consisting of one part of a rinsingconcentrate and about 1000 parts of water, and thereafter subjectingsaid surface to a blast of air; said rinsing concentrate being anoil-in-water emulsion consisting essentially of about 5 to about 17percent by weight an organic cationic surfactant, about to about 30percent by weight an emulsifiable mineral oil, about 3 to about 12percent by weight an organic non-ionic surfactant, and the remainderwater.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,428,364 10/1947 Frager. 2,440,157 4/1948 Rousseau. 2,780,554 2/1957 Lerner 106-271X 2,952,637 9/1960 Bray et al. 252118 3,167,797 2/1965 Hergonson134--123 X OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No. 230,336, Hutzenlaub et a1 (APC),published May 4, 1943.

Lesser Soap and Sanitary Chemicals, May 1951, pp. 31 and 32.

References Cited by the Applicant JOSEPH B. SPENCER, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD D. NEVIUS, Examiner.

1. A METHOD FOR DRYING A CLEANED SURFACE WHICH COMPRISES APPLYINGTHERETO AN OIL-IN-WATER EMULSION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF EFFECTIVEAMOUNTS OF AN ORGANIC CATIONIC SURFACTANT, AN EMULSIFIABLE MINERAL OIL,AND WATER UNTIL A BEADING OF WATER DROPLETS ON SAID SURFACE IS OBSERVED,AND THEREAFTER REMOVING SAID DROPLETS FROM SAID SURFACE; SAID AMOUNTSBEING EFFECTIVE TO PRODUCE BEADING OF WATER ON THE SURFACE.